Private bill to boost recycling rates

A Labour MP today pledged to bring in a bill to encourage domestic recycling - a move that coincides with tomorrow's pre-Budget report, which is expected to announce new money for green rubbish schemes.

Joan Ruddock, MP for Lewisham Deptford, criticised the UK's waste recycling record as "one of the worst" in Europe.

The government has commissioned a review of its waste policy by the Cabinet Office strategy unit, the results of which are expected tomorrow.

The bill will coincide with Gordon Brown's pre-Budget statement to parliament, during which he is expected to announce a rise in the landfill tax and more money for recycling.

Ms Ruddock said that the country only recycles about 11% of its waste - comparing poorly with countries such as Austria, which recycles more than half its rubbish.

She now intends to introduce a "doorstep recycling" bill, after coming fifth in the MPs private members' ballot last week.

"The key to raising the level of recycling waste in Britain is doorstep collection," she said.

"I intend to introduce a bill to place a duty on local authorities to collect separated waste for recycling from individual households.

"I know it works. I separate all my own waste paper, cardboard, glass, plastic and aluminium, for collection at my doorstep by a local recycling cooperative. Most people would like to have the same opportunity.

"The details of the bill are not yet finalised, but it will build on the very successful campaign by Friends of the Earth (FoE), with whom I intend to work closely."

FoE's recycling campaigner, Mike Childs, said: "It is crazy that so many valuable resources are thrown away or burnt when they could be recycled.

"Successive governments have acknowledged the need dramatically to increase the amount we recycle, yet have consistently failed to deliver.

"The only way to reach the recycling levels needed to deal with our waste crisis is through providing householders with a convenient doorstep recycling service.

"We are delighted that Joan Ruddock is sponsoring this bill, which we hope will command unanimous cross-party support."

Friends of the Earth is calling for:
· A recycling target of 50% by 2010, 75% by 2015, with the ultimate aim of zero waste
· Local authorities to have a legal obligation to provide a weekly doorstep recycling and composting service
· An extra ?200m a year for recycling
· Local authorities to be allowed to charge people for the amount of waste they throw out, but only when a free comprehensive doorstep recycling and composting service is in place and other conditions are met
· An increase in the landfill tax of ?10 per tonne in 2004 with an increase in the landfill tax escalator of ?5 per year from 2005 onwards
· The removal of subsidies from incineration and the introduction of an incineration tax
· A moratorium on incineration and incentives for the development of small-scale plants to take the recyclables out of residual waste and treat the rest before landfill